Unmanned aerial vehicle relay charging platform and unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle relay charging platform and an unmanned aerial vehicle, relates to the technical field of electric energy transmission, and solves the technical problems that an unmanned aerial vehicle automatic machine nest is complex in structure, not easy to deploy and high in cost. The device comprises a main body mechanism, a power distribution mechanism and a conductive mechanism, the power distribution mechanism is located on the side edge of the main body mechanism, electrically connected with the conductive mechanism and used for supplying power to the conductive mechanism; the conductive mechanism is erected above the main body mechanism and is parallel to the main body mechanism; the electric conduction mechanism is used for being matched with the main body mechanism, so that after the unmanned aerial vehicle is parked on the electric conduction mechanism, energy is supplemented for the parked unmanned aerial vehicle. The conductive mechanism is matched with the main body mechanism, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle can be parked conveniently, and a high-precision automatic landing technology and a high-precision take-off technology are not needed; the power distribution mechanism and the conductive mechanism cooperate to supplement energy to the unmanned aerial vehicle parked on the conductive mechanism, the overall structure is simple, the cost is low, the weight and the dead weight are light, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is easy to deploy when executing a long-route task.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of electric energy transmission, and in particular to an unmanned aerial vehicle relay charging platform and an unmanned aerial vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the development of science and technology, the use of drones has become more and more widespread, and they are applied in many fields. For example, using drones to replace power workers to perform related work has become the first choice for rapid inspections and intelligent inspections, and in the actual work process, they have played an economical and rapid role that manual inspections do not have.

[0003] However, drones consume power quickly. When performing long-distance missions, it is necessary to deploy multiple drone charging devices along the route to recharge the drones, so as to ensure the completion of the long-distance mission. At present, drone automatic nests are deployed in long-distance missions to charge drones. In addition to the automatic charging and battery replacement functions, drone automatic nests also have data transmission, environmental detection, automatic recovery and other functions, and are relatively powerful. However, the overall cost of drone automatic nests is relatively high, and their mechanical structure is relatively complex, with a large weight and deadweight. They require highly precise automatic landing and take-off technologies, and have high requirements for positioning systems and sensors, making them difficult to deploy.

[0004] In the process of implementing the present utility model, the inventors found that there are at least the following problems in the prior art:

[0005] Existing drone automatic nests have complex structures, are difficult to deploy, and are costly. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of the utility model is to provide a UAV relay charging platform and a UAV to solve the technical problems in the prior art that the automatic UAV nest has a complex structure, is not easy to deploy, and has a high cost. The preferred technical solution among the many technical solutions provided by the utility model can produce many technical effects as described below.

[0007] In order to achieve the above purpose, the utility model provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] In a first aspect, the utility model provides a drone relay charging platform, including a main body mechanism, a power distribution mechanism and a conductive mechanism;

[0009] The power distribution mechanism is located at the side of the main body mechanism and is electrically connected to the conductive mechanism to supply power to the conductive mechanism;

[0010] The conductive mechanism is erected above the main mechanism and is parallel to the main mechanism; the conductive mechanism is used to cooperate with the main mechanism to replenish energy for the docked drone after the drone docks on the conductive mechanism.

[0011] Optionally, the conductive mechanism includes a conductive frame and a conductive component; the conductive frame is arranged at the left and right ends of the main body mechanism, and the conductive component is mounted above the main body mechanism through the conductive frame; the conductive component is electrically connected to the power distribution mechanism, and is used to replenish energy to the drone through the conductive parts at the bottom of the drone's tripod after the drone is docked.

[0012] Optionally, the number of the conductive components is two.

[0013] Optionally, an insulating material is provided at the connection between the conductive component and the conductive frame.

[0014] Optionally, the main body structure includes a fixed base and a visual marker board; the visual marker board is arranged in the middle of the fixed base; the fixed base is used to support the conductive mechanism; the visual marker board is used to provide a landing point mark for the unmanned aerial vehicle, and cooperate with the conductive mechanism to enable the unmanned aerial vehicle to accurately dock on the conductive mechanism.

[0015] Optionally, the power distribution mechanism includes a distribution box, a power supply, an industrial computer and an intelligent gateway, and the power supply, the industrial computer and the intelligent gateway are all arranged in the distribution box;

[0016] The intelligent gateway and the power supply are both connected to the industrial computer. The intelligent gateway is connected to the industrial computer and is used to upload the environmental information, status information of the charging platform and / or the location information of the drone collected or received by the industrial computer to the cloud in real time; the power supply is connected to the conductive mechanism and is used to provide electrical energy to the conductive mechanism so that the conductive mechanism can replenish energy for the drone docked on the conductive mechanism.

[0017] Optionally, the charging platform also includes a sensor component, which is arranged on the conductive structure and electrically connected to the industrial computer, and the sensor component is used to obtain environmental information, status information and / or location information of the charging platform and / or the drone, and send the environmental information, status information and / or location information to the industrial computer.

[0018] Optionally, the sensing component includes but is not limited to an environmental sensor and a laser sensor.

[0019] In the second aspect, the utility model also provides a drone for recharging energy in cooperation with the charging platform described above. The drone includes a drone body and a conductive member arranged at the bottom of the drone body and electrically connected to the drone body. After the drone docks on the conductive mechanism of the charging platform, the conductive member contacts the conductive mechanism and receives the electrical energy transmitted by the conductive mechanism.

[0020] Optionally, the conductive member is a dovetail frame, and a plated copper block is provided in the middle of the dovetail frame. The plated copper block is used to contact the conductive mechanism, and introduce the electric energy transmitted by the conductive mechanism into the drone body to replenish the drone.

[0021] Implementing one of the above technical solutions of the utility model has the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0022] The utility model is provided with a main body mechanism, a power distribution mechanism and a conductive mechanism. The conductive mechanism cooperates with the main body mechanism to facilitate the docking of the UAV, without the need for high-precision automatic landing technology and take-off technology; the power distribution mechanism and the conductive mechanism cooperate to replenish energy for the UAV docked on the conductive mechanism. The overall structure is simple, the cost is low, the body weight and deadweight are light, and the UAV is easier to deploy when performing long-route missions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present utility model, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work. In the drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the first embodiment of the utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the hardware connection between the power distribution component, the main body mechanism and the conductive component in the first embodiment of the utility model;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the dovetail frame in the second embodiment of the utility model.

[0027] In the figure: 1. Main body; 11. Fixed base; 12. Visual marker board; 2. Power distribution mechanism; 21. Power distribution box; 3. Conductive mechanism; 31. Conductive frame; 32. Conductive component; 4. Sensor component; 5. UAV; 51. UAV body; 52. Conductive part; 53. Electroplated copper block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the utility model clearer, the various exemplary embodiments to be described below will refer to the corresponding drawings, which constitute a part of the exemplary embodiments, wherein various exemplary embodiments that may be used to implement the utility model are described. Unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The implementation methods described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementation methods consistent with the present disclosure. It should be understood that they are only examples of processes, methods, and devices that are consistent with some aspects of the utility model disclosed as detailed in the attached claims, and other embodiments may also be used, or the embodiments listed herein may be modified in structure and function without departing from the scope and essence of the utility model.

[0029] In the description of the present utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", etc. indicate the orientation or position relationship based on the drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the utility model and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. The terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. The term "multiple" means two or more. The terms "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a communication connection, a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. The term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0030] In order to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, a specific embodiment is provided below, in which only the parts related to the embodiment of the present invention are shown.

[0031] Embodiment 1:

[0032] The first embodiment of the utility model provides a drone relay charging platform, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it includes a main body mechanism 1, a power distribution mechanism 2 and a conductive mechanism 3; the power distribution mechanism 2 is located on the side of the main body mechanism 1 and is electrically connected to the conductive mechanism 3 to supply power to the conductive mechanism 3; the conductive mechanism 3 is erected above the main body mechanism 1 and is parallel to the main body mechanism 1; the conductive mechanism 3 is used to cooperate with the main body mechanism 1 to replenish energy for the docked drone 5 after the drone 5 docks on the conductive mechanism 3.

[0033] Specifically, the main body 1 is located below the conductive mechanism 3, and is used to support and stabilize the conductive mechanism 3, providing a basis for the UAV 5 to dock and recharge after docking. The design of the main body 1 ensures the stability and reliability of the entire charging platform. The conductive mechanism 3 is set above the main body 1 and is parallel to the main body 1. When the UAV 5 needs to be recharged, it will dock on the conductive mechanism 3. After the UAV 5 docks on the conductive mechanism 3, the conductive mechanism 3 will transmit electric energy to the UAV 5 to recharge the UAV 5. The power distribution mechanism 2 is set on the side of the main body 1 and is electrically connected to the conductive mechanism 3. The power distribution mechanism 2 is the power supply and control center of the entire charging platform, providing electric energy to the conductive mechanism 3 so that the conductive mechanism 3 can recharge the UAV 5, and the power distribution mechanism 2 can also decide whether to perform the UAV 5 charging task according to the parking position of the UAV 5 (for details on deciding whether to perform the UAV 5 charging task according to the parking position, please refer to the patent with document number CN109823552B). It should be noted that in this embodiment, the bottom of the tripod of the drone 5 that needs to be recharged is provided with a conductive member 52 for contacting the conductive mechanism 3 and transmitting electrical energy to the drone 5 .

[0034] In this embodiment, a main body mechanism 1, a power distribution mechanism 2 and a conductive mechanism 3 are provided. The conductive mechanism 3 cooperates with the main body mechanism 1 to facilitate the docking of the UAV 5 without the need for high-precision automatic landing technology and take-off technology; the power distribution mechanism 2 and the conductive mechanism 3 cooperate to replenish energy for the UAV 5 docked on the conductive mechanism 3. The overall structure is simple, the cost is low, the weight and deadweight are light, and the UAV 5 is easier to deploy when performing long-route missions, thereby improving the deployment efficiency.

[0035] As an optional implementation, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the conductive mechanism 3 includes a conductive frame 31 and a conductive component 32; the conductive frame 31 is arranged at the left and right ends of the main mechanism 1, and the conductive component 32 is erected above the main mechanism 1 through the conductive frame 31; the conductive component 32 is electrically connected to the power distribution mechanism 2, and is used to replenish energy to the drone 5 through the conductive member 52 at the bottom of the tripod of the drone 5 after the drone 5 is docked. Specifically, the conductive component 32 is erected above the main mechanism 1 through the conductive frame 31, and the conductive frame 31 is arranged at both the left and right ends of the main mechanism 1, which is used to adjust the tension and support the conductive component 32. The combination of the conductive frame 31 and the conductive component 32 will form the take-off and landing area of ​​the drone 5. When the drone 5 needs to be replenished, it will park on the conductive component 32, and guide the electric energy output by the power distribution mechanism 2 to the drone 5 to replenish the drone 5.

[0036] In this embodiment, if Figure 1As shown, the conductive component 32 is a cable, and two cables are provided, and the two ends of the two cables are respectively connected to the conductive frames 31 provided at the left and right ends of the main body 1. The spacing distance between the two cables matches the distance of the dovetail frame at the bottom of the drone 5. The provision of two cables can ensure the accuracy and stability of the parking of the drone 5. An insulating material is provided on the connection portion between the conductive component 32 and the conductive frame 31. The insulating material is provided at the portion where the conductive component 32 contacts the conductive frame 31. Since the cable is used to transmit electrical energy, it is necessary to insulate the portion where the conductive component 32 contacts the conductive frame 31 to prevent creepage and short circuit, while ensuring the safety of electrical energy transmission.

[0037] As an optional implementation, Figure 1 As shown, the main mechanism 1 includes a fixed base 11 and a visual marker board 12; the visual marker board 12 is arranged in the middle of the fixed base 11; the fixed base 11 is used to support the conductive mechanism 3; the visual marker board 12 is used to provide a landing point mark for the unmanned vehicle, and cooperates with the conductive mechanism 3 to enable the unmanned vehicle 5 to accurately dock on the conductive mechanism 3. Specifically, the main mechanism 1 includes a fixed base 11 and a visual marker board 12, and the fixed mechanism is used to support the conductive mechanism 3, provide a supporting basis for the conductive mechanism 3, and provide a prerequisite for the docking of the unmanned vehicle 5. The visual marker board 12 cooperates with the conductive mechanism 3 to enable the unmanned vehicle 5 to accurately dock on the conductive mechanism 3. The visual marker board 12 is provided with an identification code for identifying the accurate landing position of the unmanned vehicle 5. During the automatic landing process of the unmanned vehicle 5, the visual marker board 12, as a mark of the landing point, can help the unmanned vehicle 5 identify and accurately land at the designated position, avoid the situation of position deviation, and achieve accurate docking without high-precision automatic landing technology. The setting of the main mechanism 1 ensures the stability and reliability of the charging platform when recharging the unmanned vehicle 5.

[0038] As an optional implementation, Figure 2 As shown, the power distribution mechanism 2 includes a distribution box 21, a power supply, an industrial computer and an intelligent gateway, and the power supply, the industrial computer and the intelligent gateway are all arranged in the distribution box 21; the intelligent gateway is connected to the industrial computer, and is used to upload the environmental information, status information and / or location information of the charging platform collected or received by the industrial computer to the cloud in real time; the power supply is connected to the conductive mechanism 3, and is used to provide electrical energy to the conductive mechanism 3, so that the conductive mechanism 3 can replenish energy for the drone 5 docked on the conductive mechanism 3.

[0039] Specifically, if Figure 1 As shown, the distribution box 21 is used as a housing, and the power supply, industrial computer and intelligent gateway are all arranged in the distribution box 21. The distribution box 21 is used to protect the power supply, industrial computer and intelligent gateway. Figure 2The power supply and the intelligent gateway are both connected to the industrial computer. The power supply is connected to the industrial computer and the conductive mechanism 3 respectively. The industrial computer, as the control center of the charging platform, can read and monitor the status of the power supply. The industrial computer can control the start of the power supply, control the power supply to transmit power to the conductive mechanism 3, and provide power to the battery of the drone 5 parked on the conductive mechanism 3. In this embodiment, the power supply is a variable power supply, and the output voltage and current can be adjusted according to the requirements of the drone 5 battery to improve the efficiency and safety of the energy replenishment process.

[0040] The smart gateway is connected to the industrial computer to connect the industrial computer to the Internet. After the industrial computer is connected to the Internet, the smart gateway can upload the environmental data information collected or received by the industrial computer and the status information of the charging platform to the cloud in real time. The smart gateway can optionally support 4G / 5G network card supply. The smart gateway also has a remote control function, allowing staff or drone operators to remotely activate or shut down the charging function of the charging platform through the network, which has strong operability.

[0041] As an optional implementation, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the charging platform also includes a sensor component 4, which is arranged on the conductive mechanism 3 and electrically connected to the industrial control computer. The sensor component 4 is used to obtain the environmental information, state information and / or location information of the charging platform and the drone 5, and send the environmental information, state information and / or location information to the industrial control computer. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the sensor component 4 is arranged on the conductive frame 31 and is electrically connected to the industrial control computer. The sensor component 4 in this embodiment includes but is not limited to an environmental sensor and a laser sensor. The environmental sensor is used to obtain the environmental information and status information of the charging platform, and the laser sensor is used to obtain the location information of the drone 5, and send the environmental information, status information and location information to the industrial control computer, which determines the current environmental conditions and the location of the drone 5 to automatically decide whether the charging task needs to be performed.

[0042] The working principle of the charging platform in this embodiment is:

[0043] The UAV 5 that needs to be recharged docks on the conductive component 32 under the joint action of the visual marker board 12 in the main body 1 and the conductive component 32 in the conductive mechanism 3. At the same time, the environmental sensor and the laser sensor obtain corresponding information and send the information to the industrial computer. The industrial computer determines the current environmental conditions and the location of the UAV 5, and automatically decides whether it is necessary to perform a charging task for the UAV 5 based on the corresponding information.

[0044] It should be noted that the charging platform in this embodiment is mainly deployed in the corresponding route to recharge the drone 5 when the drone 5 performs a long-route mission. However, this does not mean that the charging platform in this embodiment has only this one way of use, and the charging platform can also be used in other situations. For example, as a simple drone 5 charging device, it charges the drone 5 when the drone 5 is not working; or, as a temporary docking platform for the drone 5, it is convenient for the drone 5 to dock. It enriches the usage scenarios, is easy to use, and has a high cost performance.

[0045] The embodiment is only a special case and does not indicate that the present invention is implemented in such a way.

[0046] Embodiment 2:

[0047] Based on the same inventive concept, the second embodiment of the present utility model further provides a drone for cooperating with the charging platform described in the first embodiment to perform energy replenishment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drone 5 includes a drone body 51 and a conductive member 52 disposed at the bottom of the drone body 51 and electrically connected to the drone body 51. After the drone 5 is docked on the conductive mechanism 3 of the charging platform, the conductive member 52 contacts the conductive mechanism 3 and receives the electric energy transmitted by the conductive mechanism 3. Specifically, in order to facilitate the drone 5 to cooperate with the charging platform described in the first embodiment for energy replenishment, it is necessary to set the conductive member 52 at the bottom of the drone body 51. In this embodiment, the conductive member 52 has two functions, one is to make the drone 5 stably docked on the conductive mechanism 3 of the charging platform and contact the conductive mechanism 3; the other is to be electrically connected to the drone body 51, and used to transmit the electric energy transmitted by the conductive mechanism 3 to the power supply in the drone body 51, so as to recharge the drone 5. It should be noted that the conductive member 52 in this embodiment can be used directly as a drone tripod, or it can be a component of the drone tripod.

[0048] As an optional implementation, Figure 2 As shown, the conductive member 52 is a dovetail frame, and a plated copper block 53 is provided in the middle of the dovetail frame. The plated copper block 53 is used to contact the conductive mechanism 3, and introduce the electric energy transmitted by the conductive mechanism 3 into the drone body 51 to replenish the energy for the drone 5. Specifically, the dovetail frame is a special part for the drone 5 to land on the charging platform. It adopts a split design, the outer frame is a CNC pad processing material, and the electroplated copper block 53 in the middle is a conductive material. This design can effectively reduce the weight of the drone tripod, improve the conductivity, and ensure the reliability of the structure.

[0049] The above description is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes or equivalent substitutions may be made to these features and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, under the guidance of the present invention, these features and embodiments may be modified to adapt to specific circumstances and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims of this application belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A drone relay charging platform, characterized in that: It comprises a main body mechanism (1), a power distribution mechanism (2) and a conducting mechanism (3); The power distribution mechanism (2) is located on the side of the main body mechanism (1) and is electrically connected to the conductive mechanism (3) to supply power to the conductive mechanism (3); The conductive mechanism (3) is mounted above the main mechanism (1) and is parallel to the main mechanism (1); the conductive mechanism (3) is used to cooperate with the main mechanism (1) to replenish energy for the docked drone (5) after the drone (5) docks on the conductive mechanism (3).

2. The UAV relay charging platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conductive mechanism (3) comprises a conductive frame (31) and a conductive component (32); the conductive frame (31) is arranged at the left and right ends of the main body mechanism (1), and the conductive component (32) is mounted above the main body mechanism (1) through the conductive frame (31); the conductive component (32) is electrically connected to the power distribution mechanism (2) and is used to replenish energy to the drone (5) through the conductive component (52) at the bottom of the tripod of the drone (5) after the drone (5) is docked.

3. The UAV relay charging platform according to claim 2, characterized in that: The number of the conductive components (32) is two.

4. The UAV relay charging platform according to claim 2, characterized in that: Insulating material is provided at the connection between the conductive component (32) and the conductive frame (31).

5. The UAV relay charging platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body structure (1) comprises a fixed base (11) and a visual marker board (12); the visual marker board (12) is arranged in the middle of the fixed base (11); the fixed base (11) is used to support the conductive structure (3); the visual marker board (12) is used to provide a landing point mark for the unmanned aerial vehicle (5) and cooperate with the conductive structure (3) to enable the unmanned aerial vehicle (5) to accurately dock on the conductive structure (3).

6. The UAV relay charging platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power distribution mechanism (2) comprises a power distribution box (21), a power supply, an industrial computer and an intelligent gateway, wherein the power supply, the industrial computer and the intelligent gateway are all arranged in the power distribution box (21); The intelligent gateway and the power supply are both connected to the industrial computer. The intelligent gateway is connected to the industrial computer and is used to upload the environmental information, status information of the charging platform and / or the location information of the drone (5) collected or received by the industrial computer to the cloud in real time. The power supply is connected to the conductive mechanism (3) and is used to provide electrical energy to the conductive mechanism (3), so that the conductive mechanism (3) can replenish energy for the drone (5) docked on the conductive mechanism (3).

7. The UAV relay charging platform according to claim 6, characterized in that: The charging platform further comprises a sensor component (4), which is arranged on the conductive mechanism (3) and is electrically connected to the industrial computer. The sensor component (4) is used to obtain environmental information, status information and / or position information of the charging platform and / or position information of the drone (5), and to send the environmental information, status information and / or position information to the industrial computer.

8. The UAV relay charging platform according to claim 7, characterized in that: The sensor component (4) includes but is not limited to an environmental sensor and a laser sensor.

9. A drone, characterized in that: Used for replenishing energy in cooperation with the charging platform described in any one of claims 1 to 8, the drone (5) comprises a drone body (51) and a conductive member (52) arranged at the bottom of the drone body (51) and electrically connected to the drone body (51); after the drone (5) is docked on the conductive mechanism (3) of the charging platform, the conductive member (52) contacts the conductive mechanism (3) and receives the electric energy transmitted by the conductive mechanism (3).

10. The drone according to claim 9, characterized in that: The conductive member (52) is a dovetail frame, and a plated copper block (53) is provided in the middle of the dovetail frame. The plated copper block (53) is used to contact the conductive mechanism (3) and introduce the electric energy transmitted by the conductive mechanism (3) into the drone body (51) to replenish the energy of the drone (5).

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